Costa Mesa High senior Sierra Johnston, 18, holds a baby American alligator at Prehistoric Pets in Fountain Valley, where she was an intern.

Costa Mesa High senior Sierra Johnston, 18, is bound for Brigham Young University-Idaho. Johnston is the biology student of the year, history student of the year and English student of the year at her Central Point, Oregon high school.

Costa Mesa High senior Sierra Johnston, 18, discovered her passion for reptiles and especially chameleons during an internship at Prehistoric Pets in Fountain Valley, pictured. When her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer and was given 6 months to live, his wish was to move to Costa Mesa from Oregon to be closer to his extended family. He died a week after the diagnosis.

A chameleon climbs on reptile lover and Costa Mesa High senior Sierra Johnston, 18, at Prehistoric Pets in Fountain Valley, where she was an intern. The BYU bound Johnston is the biology student of the year, history student of the year and English student of the year at her Central Point, Oregon high school.

Erin Eckstrom, 19, from left, her stepsister Sierra Johnston, 18, and Erin's mom, Rebecca Eckstrom, embrace when remembering Rebecca's husband, who died a week after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Costa Mesa High senior Sierra Johnston, 18, reacts when holding a baby American Alligator at Prehistoric Pets in Fountain Valley. Johnston, a reptile lover, even owns a pet snake. She is in the top 5 percent of her graduating class.

Sierra Johnston, 18, is in "heaven" at her old inter stomping grounds Prehistoric Pets in Fountain Valley. where she was an intern. The Costa Mesa High senior will major in biology with a concentration in zoology at BYU, so she can professionally care for animals one day.

It took her stepfather’s cancer diagnosis and death to bring Sierra Johnston from Oregon to Costa Mesa High School for her senior year, but she’s hoping all the good she experienced upon arrival will help her, one day, to make sense out of the past eight months.

After all, if she hadn’t made the journey, she might have never discovered her calling.

It was only September when Johnston’s stepfather (“He was basically like a dad to me,” she said) was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and told he had six months to live. Within a few days, he told them he’d like to move to Costa Mesa so he could be around his kids and grandkids.

Within a couple more days, the family had packed up the house and waited for him to stabilize – but he never did.

He died only a week after his diagnosis.

Distraught, Johnston, her mother and her sister wondered whether they should proceed with the move. But, with six half-siblings and 14 nieces and nephews awaiting their arrival in Orange County, the three decided to make the journey.

“We were all going through the same thing at the same time,” Johnston said. “It was so good that everyone was together.”

In October, Johnston transferred into Costa Mesa High, where classes had been in session for a full month. Knowing no one, she picked her classes quickly, but was already behind in her work.

But as Johnston began to catch up – first by joining the marching band, then with her work, and finally by making a few close friends – she began to feel more at home.

That all built to February, when a mandatory senior-year internship landed Johnston at Prehistoric Pets – a Fountain Valley reptile store that entrusted her to care for hundreds of lizards, snakes and turtles on the job.

She fell in love almost immediately, changing her future major from English to biology, with a focus in zoology, so she can professionally care for animals one day.

“It’s easy to see she is passionate about them,” said Laura Brewer, Johnston’s supervisor at Prehistoric Pets. “She always showed up ready to work and ready to learn.”

The last eight months have gone by like a blur for Johnston, and the moving won’t stop anytime soon. In the fall, she’ll attend Brigham Young University-Idaho. A devout Mormon, she said she sees God’s hand at work in the momentum of the past year.

“It wasn’t a good thing that my stepdad died, but I think there was a reason,” Johnston said “We’ve done really well here, and we’re by our family. All the opportunities I’ve been given – I took classes that I wouldn’t have had (in Oregon). If you believe in God, he does what is best for us … . A terrible thing happened, but so much good has come out of it.”

Jordan Graham is the county government reporter for the Orange County Register. He began his career reporting freelance civic and watchdog journalism in his hometown of Chicago before moving westward in 2013. He has previously covered Irvine, the San Fernando Valley and Costa Mesa for the Register. He is a graduate of University of Illinois and Northwestern University. Please email or call him with news tips.

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